A few days ago, I installed an update to a key plugin (Google Analytics for WordPress). Without realizing it (until today) the blog was down, and visitors saw a blank white page, with NO code displayed, even if you chose “view source.” I don’t wanna get all Mr. Propeller Head on you, but that’s weird. Finally tracked the error down to a plugin upgrade malfunction. It’s fixed now. My appologies to anyone who wondered where the blog went off to.

As a marketing guy facing the New Reality or New Economy or whatever term you want to use to define the ever-changing world in which we live in, I’m always looking for ways to do more with less. I’ve yet to be fortunate enough to find a customer who’s idea of a marketing/advertising budget was “money is not a problem.” (Then again, I’ve never met a leprechaun or a unicorn, either.)

As such, I’ve been trying some ideas on my own (in the spirit of “eating my own dog food”), to see what works – and what doesn’t – under the current economic conditions. One thing that I recommend to all my clients is to setup a blog. That sounds simple – but in fact, I’ve found some results that might surprise you.

First of all, I was shocked (Shocked, I tell you!) to discover that there is a segment of the general population that doesn’t know what a blog is. We have a name for these people. We call them “clients.” Yep, a vast majority of my clients don’t have a clue as to what a blog is. Most of them have heard the term, but they have no real idea of what a blog is, or why they need it.

So once you’ve explained that a blog is nothing more than an online journal, you have to get your customers from the point of abstract knowledge to the “A-Ha!” point, where the light of dawning comprehension flips on a like a light switch.

For most of my clients, I recommend a blog for three reasons:

• It builds web traffic to their website
• It establishes them (and increases their street cred) as an expert in their field
• It gets them into the “build traffic by keeping content fresh” mindset

Let’s look at these factors each, in turn…

Building web traffic is the gold ring on the merry-go-round of any company’s online presence. Any client that tells you “If You Build It, They Will Come” is either delusional, or watches waaay too many Kevin Costner movies. (Pretty much the same thing, if you ask me.) Short of paying for advertising, blogging is, dollar for dollar, the single best way to get people to visit a website. Keep in mind, just blogging is not enough to drive traffic – at least not at first. What’s critical is to use pingbacks and trackbacks to get other sites/blogs to list links to your blog. THAT builds traffic. Get enough casual visitors to read a single post, and you’ll see a percentage of them stick around to read more. Of course, there are ways to tune your blog to get it on the radar of search engines – always a good idea – but if you can get others to do the heavy lifting for you, it will save you money, and cut the time it takes to get past the “new blog” traffic curve.

Establishing your client as an expert is no small task. Back in the day, TV was the preferred credibility-builder. With the glut of channels on the air today, TV no longer offers the “global village” communal experience. While I doubt we’ll ever see “As Seen on the Web” as some cache of quality, acquiring a reputation on the web, by its very nature will give your client credibility worldwide, and not just within your community. I have found that many clients are reluctant to either “give away the store” by providing information for free, or simply spending the time it takes to blog. The benefits, however far outweigh the risks of sharing information or spending time writing.(Astute readers will note that I am taking my own advice here, and giving away valuable information in this very article. Very astute readers will note that there’s a number of details I’ve left out of the “how to” parts – that you gotta pay for.)

Keeping things fresh on the web is a no-brainer for many, but there are a surprising number of customers that think “when you’ve finished the website, there’s no need to update it.” The number one reason people don’t return to websites is that they find that the site is not being updated on a regular basis. That factor alone is reason enough to keep your online presence fresh and current. Unfortunately, many websites are designed in a way that requires a web designer or webmaster to make the updates. The beauty of blogging is that the blogging software is designed to make it easy for just about anyone to publish with the push of a button. If you can use a word processor, you can blog. It’s that simple.

If you’re looking for a way to maximize your marketing and give your clients a bigger bang for their buck, consider the addition of a blog to your repertoire. Blogging can give your clients the edge they need, without costing them an arm and a leg. Not a bad deal, in this age of economic uncertainty.